Atwood Furnace - Page 2

mainah · 04-25-2017, 05:41 AM

That's why I like the dinosaur boards no guessing a LED for each function it's either on or off. Yeah the gas valve coil draws a bit more current than a chip or standard transistor can sink so a relay would be the easy way out.

Draughty · 08-30-2018, 08:10 AM

Ok mostly bookmarking this thread but tried to fire up the same (I think) furnace last night and no go...need to investigate more as to why I see!

**JohnB** · 09-01-2018, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draughty

Ok mostly bookmarking this thread but tried to fire up the same (I think) furnace last night and no go...need to investigate more as to why I see!

While your looking, find the model number and post it when you come back for questions. There are a few vintages of control systems and they fail a little different. We need to know which one you have.

Also take note.

1. When you adjust the T stat to add heat, does the blower start but you get no heat after waiting a short time out period? If you have no blower running that is problem 1.

2. The blower runs and runs and even after many minutes you get no heat, do you hear any clunks (gas valve opening) or any faint sparking sound (igniter working)?

3. Does the furnace shut down on a safety? Did you look for the blinking code LEDs out on the control board (outside behind the metal cover)? This assumes you made it past 1 and 2 above.

Hope this helps

John

Draughty · 09-01-2018, 07:00 PM

Well actually nothing happens! Doesn't fire up and the blower doesn't come on either...
I have the book here but it covers multiple models and has helpful instructions like 'increase the setting on the thermostat until the heater kicks in if heeater does not kick in...' huh?? Yeah not much there!

Draughty · 09-01-2018, 07:03 PM

It was blowing so hard and the waves were crashing so loudly about 20 feet from the trailer I couldn't hear anything!
We then borrowed an electric heater from some friends who have a seasonal site there for the night and I was working on the water compartment hatch all day the next day so I am planning to work on the heater next Saturday when I replace the rear stabilizer set.

**JohnB** · 09-01-2018, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draughty

Well actually nothing happens! Doesn't fire up and the blower doesn't come on either...
I have the book here but it covers multiple models and has helpful instructions like 'increase the setting on the thermostat until the heater kicks in if heeater does not kick in...' huh?? Yeah not much there!

The blower runs first to purge the combustion chamber. If you have no blower running, then gas will not come on and no ignition. Start with why does the blower not run?

It may be the T stat signal not being sent or no power at the furnace or both. Pull the cover off the outside and look, check for 12 VDC going to it. The whole furnace is 12 VDC and gas. No 120 VAC. Pending the vintage, some have a power on/off switch and a resettable circuit breaker outside at the top of the furnace. It might be simple... Come back with model number after next weekend. Good luck

John

Draughty · 09-02-2018, 05:09 AM

Thanks John now I at least have a place to start!

mainah · 09-02-2018, 09:17 AM

If all else fails remove the t stat and twist the two wires together. If it works then the t stat is toes up.

Draughty · 09-02-2018, 11:52 AM

A simple but effective method of troubleshooting! I like it!
Honestly I have no idea if the blower started the way the wind was blowing off the water. Small lake but 2-3 foot waves hitting the shoreline about 20 or 30 feet from our camper! Honestly...it was great! Gotta love nature in all of it's power and glory!
The night before we were able to see a spectacular lightning and thunder display ...and learned to roll up the awning when the wind gets rough! LOL... experiences like that are why I love camping!

Draughty · 09-09-2018, 01:38 PM

Back it at the trailer yesterday.
On 12V it did nothing.
I was short on time when I got to the furnace so I was only able to remove the T-stat cover and the outside cover from the furnace.
I should have tried the idea of wiring or jumpering out the two wires to the T-stat but I will have to try that next time.
What is happening is nothing...no fan nothing.
I turned on an LP tank and had the battery hooked up and the thermostat made it's connection but I got nothing in response. Wires are not broken behind the stat.
Now if only I had jumpered it! Ran out of data on my phone and time in the day for working out there.
I did take some pictures which I am posting. I did not see evidence of failure around the board or fan motor so I am guessing it will wind up being a long unused stat but??
I did find a switch on the bottom of the thermostat that was set to OFF but even after changing it to on I had no signs of life.
Aside from jumpering the T-stat, any suggestions?
IMG_20180908_175738.jpg IMG_20180908_175759.jpg IMG_20180908_180405.jpg IMG_20180908_180420.jpg IMG_20180908_180827.jpg IMG_20180908_181002.jpg

mainah · 09-09-2018, 06:21 PM

Ok the t stat starts the entire comotion it has to be closed before anything happens no fan no ign so I would twist the t stat wires together (there are just two) that will eliminate it. So then you are faced with no power to the furnace, bad t stat wiring or a board issue. From you picture the far left fuse is for the furnace (truly a guess but it's the only red wire) swap it with another fuse. The blacks are probably lighting and the orange is for the cig lighter/TV antenna. Two down, let us know what happens.

Draughty · 09-09-2018, 08:02 PM

Makes sense to me..the legend below the fuses shows #2 as furnace and it does not appear blown. I'm still planning to replace it since I've seen fuses that don't look blown actually be the problem!
I'll do the wire thing next though as it makes sense!
I'm tempted to just get a replacement stat since.this one appears to be original equipment. IMG_20180908_180418.jpg IMG_20180908_180434.jpg

**JohnB** · 09-12-2018, 10:17 PM

On this pic, there is a model number of the furnace, what is it? It is right under the words "Atwood Mobile Products" under the white button circuit breaker. Cannot read it. Need to know which vintage you have. And what year/month was your camper manufactured in? The year/month should be on the VIN sticker on the front left of the camper. If it is no longer readable, then what model year camper? (often times the model year and manufacturing date of the camper are 1 year different. New models came out in the fall of the year before. )

Checking the fuse is prudent but also is check with a test light or volt meter for power at the actual furnace. Checking at the black toggle switch on both in and out for voltage at the top of the furnace next to the white button circuit breaker is a good spot. That circuit breaker could be toast or something else now allowing power to the controls. There also needs to be 12 volts going down the T stat wiring. Both of the T stat wires will be 12 volt positive when they have power, so you need to find a ground (DC -) to do a voltage test.

There are 2 vintages of control boards and need the model and ideally the year to sort it out. The older one, there is a timing relay that sort of runs the show at the furnace short of the ignition. The T stat turns on the timing relay and the relay turns on the blower. If you have the older version, and you have 12 volts at the T stat wires and at the furnace, the timing relay could be bad and then the blower will not run.

On the new version, they did away with the timing relay and made that part of the control board.

Hope this helps

John

Draughty · 09-13-2018, 04:40 AM

Thanks John this shows it I think...
Taking it out this weekend and should be able to do some testing...
It was built in 99 and is a 2000 model..I just read that label but I don't remember the month.IMG_20180908_175945.jpg

**Sunline Fan** · 09-13-2018, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draughty

Thanks John this shows it I think...
Taking it out this weekend and should be able to do some testing...
It was built in 99 and is a 2000 model..I just read that label but I don't remember the month.

Yeah, yours is a 2000 model. They only made the taper body Advancer model in 2000-2002.

The name came back in 2006-07 but for a totally different trailer, a dedicated wheelchair accessible model.

Draughty · 09-13-2018, 11:53 AM

I did not know there was an accessible model. Interested in how they did that!
I have accessibility issues but not in a wheelchair yet so my Advancer is still good but??

**Sunline Fan** · 09-13-2018, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draughty

I did not know there was an accessible model. Interested in how they did that!
I have accessibility issues but not in a wheelchair yet so my Advancer is still good but??

There's a brochure for it in the files section. Sunline was well known in the mobility community for their willingness to modify a Solaris floorplan to make it wheelchair accessible, so they finally introduced a production model for this purpose. It was fairly small, based on the T-2075 Solaris, but with a wider entry door, wide bathroom access, roll in shower, etc. There was only the one floorplan, the Advancer 20.

They didn't build many and I can't say I've seen one for sale used, so owners who have and need them are probably coveting them. I did read that a place was renting one at one time though.

Draughty · 09-13-2018, 01:20 PM

Thanks I'll look that up!

Draughty · 09-13-2018, 06:31 PM

Ok..so...
Went to pick the trailer up and bring it into town for a quicker get away tomorrow afternoon. Hooked up battery and LP so the fridge can get cold before we leave.
When we went to park it here in town my wife checked the fridge. Yeah it was working but the furnace was blowing hot air very hard!
Apparently the off switch (poorly marked!) On the underside of the thermostat was the only real problem!
I'll check out how it runs over the weekend but for some unknown reason we now have heat! ..and lots of it!

mainah · 09-14-2018, 06:32 AM

This is a clear cut example of machery laughing at you happens to me all the time.